The University of Santo Tomas Tiger Softbelles clinched the bronze medal after defeating the De La Salle University Green Batters, 8-7, in the UAAP Season 87 softball tournament battle for third on Tuesday, April 1, at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.

The Tiger Softbelles started the hunt for bronze with a four-run barrage at the top of the first inning sparked by an inside-the-park homerun by Erika Fernandez and a two-run RBI by Helga Campos, 4-0.

The Lady Batters responded over the next two innings through Tiffany Labargan’s RBI double, and a fielding error by catcher Anne Patricio allowed La Salle to tie the match in the third inning, 4-4.

Patricio made up for the error with a two-run home run that restored UST’s lead at the bottom of the third, 6-4.

The graduating Fernandez slugged another line drive to right field that extended the lead of the Tiger Softbelles by the next inning, 8-4.

Reliever Celine Chang held off the next six Lady Batters in the fourth and fifth innings.

DLSU’s Jazmin Visaya, Julianne Moral, and Labargan then fueled a three-run blitz to tighten the game coming into the final inning, 8-7.

The Lady Batters could not complete the comeback in the seventh inning, as Chang secured two pop flies, and Mae Zafra caught the final out to seal the bronze for UST.

“Kinausap ko ‘yong pitcher [Chang], magtiwala lang siya sa sarili niya kasi last inning na. Nagkaroon pa ng error pero buti nalang nahold niya ‘yong mga batters at nasalo ‘yong dalawang pop-up,” head coach Sandy Barredo told TomasinoWeb.

“Sa first inning four runs agad, then may mga lapses, remind lang uli. Pati sa pitchers, gano’n din. Nire-remind ko lang kung anong gagawin; ‘pag nagco-collapse, may bagong pitcher. Gano’n lang,” he added.

Five players will graduate from the España-based squad, including Fernandez, Angel Bedaño, Lyca Blanco, Teresa Blanco, and Royeve Palma.